Deutero Casus
by DanieXJ
Summary: The story of Charna daughter of Gabrielle, and her quest.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Deutero Casus

**Summary:** The story of Charna daughter of Gabrielle, and her quest.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of these characters.

**Language Disclaimer: **To my frequent readers, or any readers for that matter, this story is a bit more... caustic, or foul mouthed than what I usually write. (It's hard for me to write with swears since I'm not really used to using them myself). But, this is one of the most intense stories I've ever written, so, more swearing.

**A/N:** Another old story I'm posting here on . This one I had had rolling around in my brain for years before I actually wrote in 2007. Not to mention I started it at least three times and hated it. But, I was hit by the inspiration bus finally, and it all came pouring out.

And I totally apologize for the craziness of all the half sisters/brothers/cousins/fathers etc. in it. As I was editing it to put it up on I tried to make everything make a little more sense, but, I think I went a bit overboard back then with all the familial ties... yikes... :)

* * *

"Please, we have done nothing. Why do you pers..."

A large hand slapped the villager silent. His eyes still screamed terror as the man's sword came to his neck. He practically cried as another voice spoke, "If you kill him Alaric, then we will get nothing from him."

The man brought the sword to the villager's throat again. "But it will feel so good."

The silence that descended seemed to hold more fear than when the woman's alto voice had spoken. After a few moments the sword was jerked back by its owner. "Fine Charna, this time, your way."

The large, brown haired man stalked away. He was at least six foot three, and all parts of his body bulged with muscles.

The woman who replaced him was almost as tall, about six feet maybe. She had midnight black hair, but every once in a while, if the light hit her hair a glimpse of red could be seen. The hair looked as though it had been short once upon a time, but it was down to Charna's shoulders as the villager gazed at her.

She spoke, "There are two ways to do this my friend, the easy way, or the hard way. With the easy way you are assured to live, the hard way..." Charna tilted her head back and forth, "It's still up in the air if you'll take a breath in the morning if you pick the hard way."

The villager's head bobbed so hard Charna thought it would fall off. "Easy, easy, I'll tell you whatever you want."

Charna stared the villager in the eyes, "You will tell me the truth."

The villager nodded again, "The truth. I'll tell you the truth."

"Where is the Treasure of King Locar?"

The villager frowned so deeply it looked as though his eyes and eyebrows were going to mate. "There is no Treasure of King Locar." Charna took a step towards the villager and he shook his head from side to side. "I'm telling the truth, I'm telling the truth." Something seemed to click in his brain and he blinked up at Charna. "Do you mean the Treasure of... Queen Locar?"

"Queen?" One of Charna's dark eyebrows went up as the villager nodded. "Continue."

"It is said to be in the Bosom of all of us." Charna didn't blink as she stared at the villager. "That's what I've been told since I was a boy. 'Son, the treasure of Queen Locar is in the Bosom of all of us'."

Charna took a step back and the villager relaxed just a little bit. It was interesting to watch Charna's mind work. Unlike Alaric, the big brute, Charna's eyes had intelligence behind them. The villager spoke, "You didn't have to do this."

"Keep quiet, I'm thinking."

The villager spoke again, "There is more to life than violence and greed. There's another wa..."

Charna was next to the villager and picked him up by his throat before the man could blink or finish his thought. "Do not believe that because I'm a woman I am softer than Alaric, and do not presume that I won't kill you in an instant. Now, silence, so that I can think." She let go of the villager and he fell to the ground.

After a few minutes of silence she spoke again. "Aulif Hus. Does that name mean anything to you? I have heard it before."

The villager nodded slowly, "He was an old man, he owned the land beyond the town to the north. Why?"

Charna leaned down and patted the villager on the cheek. "Be content that you're alive." She stood up straight and bellowed towards where Alaric had gone. "Alaric, get the men away from their wh... get the men, we're moving out."

Charna started walking away, but the villager's voice made her pause and turn her head. "The route is treacherous, and yet you lead your men into it."

Charna quirked a smile that had no happiness in it. "One, they're not my men. Two, I've saved at least half of your town's women by taking Alaric's men with me. Be grateful and be quiet."

Alaric jogged up, "You have obtained our information without violence."

Charna laughed though there was not a trace of laughter in the sound. "Don't sound so depressed about that Alaric. There will be death and fear on our journey, I have no doubt."


	2. Chapter 2

Charna smiled a rare real smile as she gazed at the two hills in the distance. "Well, I know bosoms, and those are definitely fine bosoms."

She wiped her smile away as Alaric came up behind her and put his arms around Charna's midsection and his chin on her shoulder. "You figured out where the treasure is."

There was no question in Alaric's voice. Charna pointed to a spot between the two hills, "Somewhere out there."

"Looks like a woman's breasts."

Charna turned in Alaric's arms and gave him a smirk, "And what would you know of these things Lar?"

Alaric gave back a smirk of his own, "Only that yours are the most divine..."

Charna laughed and pushed Alaric away a bit, "Oh, are they?"

Alaric tried to grab Charna around the waist again, but Charna evaded his hands and wagged a finger at Alaric. "First dinner, then desert."

* * *

"Mama, you can't just leave."

The young strawberry blonde was so distraught that she was practically crying. The short gray haired woman put a gnarled hand on the young woman's cheek, "It's something I must do Xe..."

"Don't you..." Tears did finally escape their ducts and rolled down the blonde's face. "I don't understand."

A deep, resonant male voice came from the door to the kitchen of the small Inn. "Indeed Gabrielle, I do not understand either." The strong voice belonged to a tall man as equally gray as Gabrielle, but who seemed a little bit younger around the eyes.

Gabrielle pinched the bridge of her nose, "Ly... just..."

Lyceus, son of Toris, had been named for an Uncle that had died years and years before he was born. Ironically Ly as everyone called him was much more like the Aunt he had never known either, Xena. That was what had attracted Gabrielle to him, but more and more it simply caused Gabrielle grief and pain. "Just what, my joined, just what? Die, or leave you alone. Perhaps I should get Mary over here."

"Ly..."

Their daughter's head bobbed from side to side. From one parent to the other. "What Gabrielle, doesn't our daughter have a right to know what you do when you go into town. Who you do it with. I have given you every part of my being, and what do I get in return." He slammed his fist on the counter and a wooden bowl splintered under the force, causing Xe to duck as shards came flying her way.

Gabrielle stood and stalked up to Ly, "Me, I gave you my years, I gave you ten... ten children from my womb. I gave you, every." She poked him in the chest, "Thing." She poked him again, "I had left."

Ly looked down at the finger still touching his chest. He gently took it off, "Too bad that..." he glanced over at his daughter behind one of the kitchen's counters. "her namesake got there first." He met Gabrielle's eyes, "Go, don't go, I don't care anymore."

Silence came over the kitchen as the door slammed behind Ly. It, surprisingly, was Xe who broke the silence, "Is it true Mama... what Papa said about you in town, and Miss Mary?"

Gabrielle swallowed as she turned and made her way back out to the main part of the Inn. Gabrielle didn't look too much different than she had the day Xena had died in Japa. Her skin was more weathered and wrinkly and her hair, though still short was a combination of white and gray. But the look in her eyes was the same, though the two green orbs were not quite as alive as they had been, and she still had some of the muscles she had gotten on the road with Xena.

Neither mother or daughter spoke for quite a long time as they set up the main room for 'dinner'. Again, it was Xe who broke the silence. "I want to go with you."

"No."

"Mama... I am eighteen, not a child anymore. You're not eighteen, you may need help."

This brought a rare smile to Gabrielle's face, "Oh, so you think I'm old and infirm now?"

"No, I.." Xe paused and looked down, "Oh, you're pulling my chain. Look, I... I know that I'm not as... as good at, stuff, as... as my brothers and sisters, but I..."

"Okay. Your father is going to kill me," Xe frowned, "Metaphorically child. But okay."

"I can.. okay?" Xe frowned, "B-but... why?"

Gabrielle put a hand on Xe's hand, "For one thing, you didn't even ask where we'd be going. Only a true adventurer says yes before asking where. Never do it again young lady." Xe nodded quickly. "Be ready by the evening meal. We will leave afterwards."

Xe nodded and waited for Gabrielle to leave. Then a gigantic grin broke on her face.

* * *

One of the men, one of Alaric's Lieutenants came up to Charna and saluted. "The General wonders if you will face him."

Charna raised an eyebrow, "What, Gershom, you don't want your ass kicked tonight?"

Gershom's lips curled into what could almost be called a smile. Unfortunately for him the scar running down most of his face ruined the effect. He wasn't as old as his scar made him look. He was most likely just starting his third decade on earth and couldn't have been more than twenty one or twenty two years old. "Gen..." Charna raised an eyebrow, "Charna, I'm still sore from a week ago."

"Unfortunately, my friend," Charna shook her head, "I'm not in the... right state of mind... tonight." Charna gave Gershom a smirk, "I quite might kill Alaric by accident, and you wouldn't want that, would you Gershy?"

Gershom chuckled, "No, wouldn't want that Charna. I will tell the General." He saluted again and left her to her solitary perch in the camp.

It was two drawings of blood into General Alaric and one of his soon to be dead soldier's fight when a light and airy voice came from next to where Charna reclined. "Mistress, I have a bit of food here for you."

Charna glanced over at her servant Elizabeth. The rest of the camp took the slight, short, blonde haired girl to be Charna's slave though she wasn't. But, not one of the soldiers had ever inquired into the girl's actual status, and although it wasn't much, Elizabeth didn't complain about her lot in life, especially since, save Charna, there were only other men in the camp.

Even though they were the only two women in Alaric's camp, there was very little closeness between the two. It had seemed both strange and like deja vu when Charna had met Elizabeth in the small town of Paterio. For once Alaric's army hadn't been sacking it. Charna had seen the slight girl watching from the kitchen door most of the night.

She had thought that little Elizabeth was going to jump out of her pale skin as the taller and broader woman had strolled to the kitchen doorway and asked the serving girl, "Is there something you need young one?"

"You shouldn't wear britches Miss."

Charna had looked down at the leather pants she wore. When she first started traveling she had worn a battle skirt, but her legs had gotten so beaten up that she switched to the pants. She had gotten better since then, but the trousers felt, right, to wear.

After Elizabeth had spoken she turned so red that she would have been right at home on top of a sundae. "I'm sorry, I..."

She seemed to relax when Charna didn't strike her, or even laugh at her. The tall dark haired woman simply raised an eyebrow, crossed her arms over her leather vest, and waited.

Elizabeth did finally speak again, "Are you with the army in town?" Charna nodded, "Why have you not..."

"Looted and killed you yet?" Charna shrugged, "We're tired, we're... sometimes even soldiers and warlords need a break, need a good..."

Elizabeth pulled Charna into the kitchen, cutting off the rest of her sentence with a kiss. After a few moments, Charna pulled back, "That's a bad thing to do."

Elizabeth spoke, "Why? I have not seen you with any man or woman while you have been here. Do you not deserve pleasure?"

Elizabeth was surprised when Charna gave a barking laugh, "No. I really, really don't. Hey, you looking for adventure?"

Elizabeth said yes, and they became the only two women in Alaric's army.

"Food you said." Charna pulled herself out of her reverie and back to the present. She'd get killed by drifting off like that. Charna turned and took the plate from Elizabeth, "Did Drez make anything edible tonight?"

"Nope."

"Good to know."

* * *

"Why am I named for her?" Gabrielle remained silent. "I don't look anything like her, I'm not like her, why Mama? And why did you wait until..."

"Shhh..."

Gabrielle pulled Xe into the trees just as at least ten riders on horses went by. Xe watched her mother squint and then frown. After a moment Gabrielle led Xe back onto the road.

They walked for a bit before Xe spoke again, "We're following them." Gabrielle nodded affirmatively to this. They walked in silence for almost a half an hour before Xe spoke again, "Mama, why? Please, don't shut me out, I have a right to know."

Gabrielle stopped and stared up the road. "You're nothing like her for the most part. If you ever wondered. If she were with me, whether we walked or rode, we could complete a whole journey with four words." Gabrielle smiled and started walking again. "I guess you're old enough."

"I am. I love you Mama, no... no matter what you say. Okay. Why am I named for her?"

"When I came home from Japa I didn't know what to do. I traveled for a while and I wound up in Amphipolis. I entered this... Inn that I recognized. The Inn your great grandmother owned. I was spent, emotionally and physically. Then I looked up and your father was standing behind the bar."

Gabrielle shook her head, "Your father loved... loves me. I..." she swallowed, "I wish I loved him. I do like him, he's a great friend." Gabrielle glanced over at Xe, "Any time feel free to... speak up with righteous indignation... or, or hate." Gabrielle's jaw worked back and forth, "I know I deserve it. I used him in the worst possible way, and knew I was doing it." She snorted a laugh, "The one way I told myself I'd never be like Xena, I'd never tell someone I loved them if I didn't."

"Why get married Mama. Do you... do you like us?"

Gabrielle put an arm around Xe's waist. "Oh, honey. I love all eleven of you with all my heart Xe. I promise you that."

Xe frowned, "You said eleven. Me, Toris, LyLy, Perdicus, Iolaus, Vestor, Damalis, Phoebe, Malva, and Lalage. That's ten."

Gabrielle seemed to think for a moment. "That's who we're going to... find. Your oldest sister, she's thirteen years older than your oldest brother LyLy. Her..." Gabrielle took her arm away from Xe's waist. "Her name... used to be... Cyrene."

"Used to be?"

Gabrielle pursed her lips, "She now goes by... Charna..."

Gabrielle didn't realize for a few footfalls that Xe wasn't with her anymore. She turned. Her daughter had a look somewhere between incredulity and anger. "Mama, she's a killer."

"She..." Gabrielle suddenly looked as small and weak as her age, "She doesn't kill women or children."

Xe crossed her arms over her chest, "So, because she's your daughter, it's okay if she kills innocent men. Do you hate men that much? Father, my brothers."

"No... no... I..." Gabrielle leaned against a tree and put her hands over her eyes. "I thought that it was all about nurture, that Eve turned the way she did because Xena and I weren't there, not because of her genes and yet..."

Xe stared at her mother for a very long time, then walked to her. Xe's face softened a bit as she stood in front of her mother. "Is... I'm confused. Was... was Xena, I mean, not me, but your Xena from before, was she Charna's mother also?"

Gabrielle nodded, "Somehow, I don't know how, but somehow, yes. We had a theory that... yes... somehow we were both Cyrene... Charna's mothers."

Xe did more of her staring and then frowned, "This is going to end horribly."

"You can turn back Xe. You asked to come. I can go alone, I have before."

Xe blinked for a moment and then gave her head a quick shake, "I have to make sure you get to the end of your journey Mama."

Gabrielle put a hand on the back of Xe's head and kissed her daughter's forehead, "That, my littlest one, is why I named you Xena."

Gabrielle started walking again, and a small smile inched ont Xe's face for the slightest moment before her face became serious again and she ran to catch up with the former Battling Bard of Potedia.


	3. Chapter 3

Alaric was in a bad mood. Charna could see the waves of annoyance and anger coming off of him. It had been something that she had been able to do since she was a child. When her mother had a blowout fight with her stepfather she had known about it before her mother had stepped in the door.

It was that fight that had changed her life. Before it, she thought that the grumpy guy who looked like her was her father. She didn't know if it was because Gabrielle was mad at Ly, or tired of lying to her daughter, or if it was just fate. But after that fight she found out the truth, in her grandmother's former kitchen, she was Ly's first cousin, not daughter, and that the woman named Xena, who was cursed by many, but praised, not to mention missed horribly by Gabrielle was her other mother.

It was also on that day that she made a vow. Even if it meant that she would cease to exist, she would find a way to bring back Xena.

At the moment, she did regret that she needed Alaric to accomplish her task. He was a good general, a stupid man, and sometimes he needed to figure out when to shut his mouth, but, he would prove useful, she just had to control herself and not kill him until the time was right.

"Why are we doing this Charna? Why am I doing this?"

Charna didn't look at Alaric. "Because you said you would General Alaric."

Alaric stared from his horse at Charna, who was on her horse, one the color of the moonless sky. "Why me?"

Charna was silent for quite a while as the army moved along the road. Finally she spoke, "Because you don't stop. Your army was down to fifteen men at Lopcu, and yet you continued and won. I needed someone at my side who won't stop before we rule everything, or get rich trying, because, I won't stop."

Alaric seemed to consider this and then laughed, "Nice words, I think you wanted my body."

Charna resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead quirked a smirk, "That could have been part of the equation."

With a triumphant laugh he sped up his horse and left Charna in his dust. It was a few moment before Gershom rode up and gave Charna a salute. "Charna, you're not having second thoughts, are you?"

Charna glanced over at Gershom and then back to the road ahead of them. "Once I set my mind to something Gershom, I simply don't change it. Understood?"

"Definitely understood."

"Good. Back in position Lieutenant."

He didn't go back, but did pause before he spoke, "May I speak with your... Elizabeth the next time we camp ma'am?"

Charna raised an eyebrow at Gershom. "She's her own woman, speak all you want, but if she says no... I've made a few Castrati in my time Gershy. They're beautiful singers."

Gershom swallowed, nodded quickly, and fell back into line. Charna didn't even try to hide her grin. Sometimes, being the alpha bitch was just plain fun.

* * *

"You never talk about her." Alaric was in Charna's tent. He hadn't fought her, and so seemed to think that he had to see her some other way. He had thought he was going to get her in bed. Since that hadn't happened, he was trying to set off her anger.

"Who?"

Alaric smirked, "The one who spawned you. Gabrielle of Potedia, the Battling Bard, the one who managed to survive traveling with Xena." Charna shrugged. "What is she like? A killer or a priss?"

"She was my mother."

Alaric put a hand on Charna's hip. Charna removed it. "Is she why you're so frigid? She never hug you, or perhaps she touched you in a way that she wasn't supposed to. I heard she was a lover of... urk..."

Charna gripped Alaric by the throat, cutting off his air supply. Charna's voice was so soft that Alaric barely heard it. "Never. Speak of Her. That Way. Again. Am I understood?" A quick nod came from Alaric. "Get out." Alaric didn't scramble out of the tent as many of his men would. Instead he rubbed at his throat for a moment before he stood and left the tent.

Charna took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After a moment Elizabeth interrupted her. "You used the past tense."

Charna met Elizabeth's eyes. "I did, didn't I... I didn't mean to."

Elizabeth shook her head, "You never make mistakes with your speech. She is dead?"

Charna leaned back against her headboard and pinched at the bridge of her nose, "Not yet. But she will be."

Elizabeth frowned, "What are you going to do?"

Charna met Elizabeth's eyes again, "Hera knows that it's a good thing I'm already crazy, because I'm going to kill my mother." Elizabeth stood there stunned as Charna closed her eyes, "Please Elizabeth, leave me alone for a bit."


	4. Chapter 4

"What was she like Mama? Before the evil?"

Gabrielle was quiet for a bit. "She was very intense. Much like your father. They both had the same coloring and Ly thought they had the same temperament." Gabrielle shook her head, "They didn't. It was why she left home. Your father is a traditionalist."

Xe gave a short laugh, "Does she... does she know she has brothers and sisters?"

"Truthfully Xe, I don't know. Probably. She's not a stupid woman. But it's been... twenty seven years since I saw her."

"Oh, Mama..."

Gabrielle patted Xe on the back, "It's okay. She always... always felt as though she had to be perfect. Maybe I made her that way. When she was... too young, I told her that your father wasn't her father." Gabrielle shook her head, "Not knowing if what we hear is true, not knowing if they are exaggerations or not. I... I can love her this way, not knowing."

Xe rolled her eyes, "Mama, you could love the rock that caused a landslide."

Gabrielle gave her youngest daughter a gentle push, "No making fun of your dear mother now... We're almost here..."

"Where..."

* * *

"Are you sure my Queen?"

Queen Eve of the Amazons, daughter of Xena shot her daughter and successor Melosa a cross look. "I'm sure. My sister will kill my mother here. And we must stop it."

"But..."

Eve met Melosa's eyes and didn't blink, "She is a scourge, she needs to be put down, no matter who she's related to. Now, stand ready, they approach."

* * *

Alaric gave a hurf, "Okay Charna, we're in crack of Aulif Hus'..." He trailed off at Charna's look, "Now what?"

Charna's eyes focused past the General and he swung his horse around. He growled, "You led us into a trap."

Charna rolled her eyes as she watched masked women come flying at Alaric's army. "No... it's only a trap if you lose Lar, oh... and tell your mother thanks when you see her..."

"My mother, what..." Alaric stared at Charna, who didn't blink, flinch or even breathe. Finally he shook his head, "You owe me bitch, you owe me so very much after this." He whirled around on his horse, held up his sword and shouted to his men. "Attack..."

Charna didn't join the bloody fun, instead she climbed off her horse and studied the ground. After a few moments of this Elizabeth spoke up, "Mistress, what are you doing?"

"Looking for... ah..."

Charna got down on one knee and Elizabeth practically gasped as the dark haired woman started scooping soil to one side. "I can..."

Charna's head swung around and an eyebrow quirked towards her hairline. "It's true that I don't tend to get my hands dirty with anything other than blood, but... it doesn't mean I'm allergic to it." She held a finger up, "One sec."

She drew her sword and in one motion stood and beheaded one of Alaric's soldier's before he could get to a bloody Amazon who looked a whole lot like her half sister Eve. The Amazon paused and spoke, "Why?"

Charna took a step towards Melosa who reared back, "I'm just full of surprises. Now, could you please kill Alti's son before I have to do it myself?"

She looked back down at the ground, Melosa already forgotten. She knelt down, closed one eye and moved her hand around for a few moments before a smile that had real happiness in it came to her face. "Gotcha..."

She brought a scroll out of the ground but didn't unroll it. She looked towards the battle, the Amazons were winning. She saw Melosa closing in on Gershom. "Ooh, that's bad. Don't move Elizabeth. I'll be back."

She stuck the scroll in her vest and with her war cry practically flew into the fight. No one moved as she landed between Melosa and Gershom, one finger pointed at Melosa, the other at Gershom. "No..." She turned towards a thoroughly confused Alaric. She unsheathed her sword again and stalked towards the General. "They were supposed to do this for me, but apparently your army is better than I thought. No matter."

A soldier, Charna didn't remember his name, stepped in front of Alaric. Before he could blink his body sagged to the ground. The dark haired terror heard a gag and then the sound of vomiting behind her. It was probably Melosa. None of it mattered anyway.

Alaric laughed as he brandished his sword, "You think you can beat me? I am the son of Alti." He scrunched his face up and popped out of existence in front of her and to the gasps of everyone there, appeared behind her. He laughed a gigantic laugh, which turned into a gurgle as Charna put her sword in his gut without looking.

With a squish it came out and she turned. She took the scroll out of her vest and started to plunge it into the wound she had created in Alaric's chest. She was stopped by a hand, "Don't do this sister."

Charna looked up into Eve's eyes, "You have your path Eve, I have mine. I promise you, if you let me do what I must, none of this will matter. None of it."

"It's not that easy."

Charna pursed her lips, "It is, trust me."

Melosa laughed bitterly, it appeared that her sickness had subsided. "Trust you, you've killed more people than Xena, than Borias..."

"Than Livia..."

Eve broke her gaze with Charna but Melosa had her tongue back. She approached Charna and pushed the taller woman back a step, and then a second step. "Combined. You're nothing more than a killer, of course it matters, it all matters, life is the only thing that matters."

"Eve." Charna looked over Melosa's shoulder and met her half sister's eyes again. "Never once have I taken a life in fun, never once has this ever been about money, this has never even been about Greece. I don't want to do any of this, but it is the only way."

Eve took a deep breath and lowered her sword. "Okay."

Melosa whirled, "Mother, what... what are you doing? We can kill her, she..." Melosa faced Charna again, with her sword out in front of her. "With one hand tied behind my..."

Before she could get another word in edgewise Melosa's sword was gone from her hands and was in Charna's. Melosa blinked as Charna flipped it in her hand and held it out to Melosa, hilt first. "Maybe one day kiddo, but not yet."

Melosa took the sword and stared down at it in silence. Charna stepped past the shell shocked Amazon Princess and stuck the scroll into Alaric's fatal wound. She took it out and it shimmered for a moment before all the blood seemed to disappear.

Gershom stepped forward and started to salute, but Charna stopped him with a hand to his hand. "Now comes your part of the bargain."

He nodded, "Yes Ma'am. Something useful... it can still be bloody?"

Charna laughed and laughed and laughed. Eventually she stopped and held out her hand. "Yes." He shook it in a warrior handshake. "It can still be bloody my friend. Good travels."

"You too Charna..."

Charna walked past him and was almost past Eve before the Amazon Queen put a hand on Charna's arm. "Thank you sister."

She nodded to as she continued to her horse. She opened the scroll. As she read it something on it caused her to go perfectly still. She shook her head and rolled the scroll back up. "I need to go..."

Elizabeth frowned, "Only you?"

Charna nodded, "I have no doubt that either the Amazon's or Gershom would take you on." Charna quirked a half a grin, "He kinda likes you..."

Elizabeth glanced over at Gershom, then to the Amazons. "I kinda like Melosa." Charna gave a chuckle and Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest, "What do I tell them."

Charna hoisted herself up onto her horse. "Tell them that I trained you."

She kicked the horse into gear and mumbled to herself as the Amazon's and Alaric's former army faded into the distance. "I can do this, it is my destiny, I can do this."

Charna didn't move on top of the horse, didn't fidget and she barely blinked. She just kept going. It wasn't long before she stopped in a ghost town. Charna brought the horse to a stop, dismounted and turned around to survey the town. She closed her eyes, "Now I wait."


	5. Chapter 5

Gabrielle looked around with a sad look on her face. "This is where I grew up. Potedia. No... I guess that's not quite right. This is where I was born, I grew up on the road with Xena. Come on out Cyrene."

"Charna..." The name was practically growled, "The name is Charna. Okay mother? It means dark, I'm dark, I'm scary, I'm evil. I don't even know what Cyrene means."

From the darkness came Charna. She looked so much like Xena that Gabrielle gasped and Xe quickly put an arm around her mother and frowned at the newcomer. Charna came over and smiled down at Xe, "You must be Xena's namesake." The smile disappeared as her gaze moved to Gabrielle. "You shouldn't have brought her here."

Gabrielle patted Xe's hand and she let go. "Why? Will her presence stop you?"

Charna tilted her head to one side, "I'm trying to figure out how you even know what I'm going to do?"

Gabrielle looked down at the parchment in Charna's left hand, "That's the map to the center of power correct?" Charna nodded, "But the way is blank, that's why you need me." Charna nodded again, this time slower, and Xe could have sworn that she saw a second of sadness in the tall dark one's eyes. "To answer your question. I had a dream."

Charna tossed the map in the air and caught it. "There are supposed to be only a few places on earth where the mystical power is so strong that almost anything can be done." She glanced over at Xe, "You don't want to be here little sister."

Xe gave a snort, "Yeah, right, as if I would leave Mama's side."

Before Charna could stop her Gabrielle took a step towards Charna and engulfed the taller woman in a fierce hug. "I love you. I know you don't believe that, but I love you." Gabrielle paused, "She would have as well..." Gabrielle took a step back and shook her head, "All this for her... I thought, at first..." Gabrielle shook her head and took a deep breath.

With no warning Charna plunged her sword into Gabrielle's heart. After a moment of stunned silence Xe attacked Charna, pounding on the dark haired woman with her fists and kicking her with her feet.

Charna simply held onto the slender young woman and waited until she tired. Then she spoke, "I am sorry, it was the only way sister."

Xe spit at Charna, "You are not my sister, you will never be my sister. My SISTER would never have killed Mama. Am I next?"

Charna shook her head, "Of course not. I..." Charna knelt down and closed Gabrielle's eyes. She placed a hand on her mother's chest and mumbled under her breath for a bit before she reached into the hole she had made with her sword and brought out two fingers with blood on them. She rubbed it on the map.

Xe couldn't stop herself from gasping as the blood reformed into a path through the map. "Th-that... th-that is what you killed my mother for..."

Charna closed her eyes, "None of it will matter child, if it works, none of this will matter."

* * *

They were bedded down for the night. Xe had stood by, still furious, as Charna had made a proper funeral pyre for their mother. Charna had watched as tears streamed down her littlest sister's face as Gabrielle went up in flames. She'd tried to talk to Xe, but short of a stare when Charna had handed Xe some food and commented that it wasn't poisoned.

They had both almost fallen asleep when there was a noise behind Xe. She sat up, "One of your men to finish me off..."

A tall figure stepped into the clearing with a chuckle, "No... just backup little sister."

Xe shot up as the newcomer took off her hood. "Eve..." They hugged and for a moment Charna had to swallow back jealousy at how close they were. "Eve, she killed Mama... she killed Gabrielle."

"I know child. It will be okay."

"It will never be all right again."

"I promise it will." Eve held Xe to her as the younger girl sobbed. Eve shot Charna a look. "Won't it Charna."

She didn't miss a beat. "It will be."

Eve patted Xe on the back and let her go. "We need to get our rest. The journey isn't over yet."

Charna leaned back against the tree she was in front of. "Not at all."


	6. Chapter 6

"Wha... what's..."

"Stay down."

Xe winced as Charna's sword came close to her face. As she woke up, she realized that she wasn't being attacked, but protected by Eve and Charna.

It was only a few minutes later that everything went silent. Eve spoke to Charna, "Are they your men?"

"Alaric had men, I did not. And no, I don't recognize any of them. They probably saw three women sleeping and thought we were an easy target."

"We need to get going."

Xe frowned, "No breakfast?"

Charna shook her head, "Gabrielle's famous neverending stomach. I didn't get that."

Eve tossed a piece of fruit at Xe, "Breakfast to go."

* * *

_"She made a whole Army, the son of Alti's army, go good and you don't seem to care. She herself has stopped causing chaos and death very abruptly, and yet you sit here, with a smile on your face brother." Aphrodite looked confused. "And, uh, you do know those things are supposed to be orange."_

_It wasn't even the human form of Ares that sat on his throne but a purely black tiger. With a leap he paced one way in front of Aphrodite who resisted the urge to pet the creature. Ares hated that. The black tiger spoke, "Everything I do is for a reason Sis..." A growl came from his throat. "I thought you'd be happy, your favorite mortal will get her cuddley wuddley back."_

_Aphrodite snorted an unladylike laugh, "And you have another chance to get her back. Have you ever thought that she died so that she could get away from your... games."_

_Ares shrugged all four of his shoulders, "Thems the breaks... and... my second favorite warrior, Charna, hasn't performed the miracle of resurrection quite yet."_

* * *

"Where are we going?"

Charna shook her head, "She's just like Gabrielle isn't she."

Eve chuckled, "Sometimes it's scary."

"Charna, why don't you call her Mom, or Mama, or..."

Charna was silent. Eve spoke up, "It's a good question."

The three sisters walked in silence for quite a while before Charna spoke, "I have no right to. I betrayed everything she ever taught me, and I didn't stumble into it, I did it on purpose, I did it with forethought, a lot of forethought. She... I have no mother, I... For all I know she hated me, and I don't blame her one bit for hating me."

Silence came over the three again. As the sky got dark it was Xe who broke the silence this time, "She didn't hate you. She..." Xe swallowed and Eve put an arm around her.

"She could forgive anyone. I know... I..." Charna licked her lips and pulled a hand through her way too long hair. She liked it short, it didn't get grabbed during battles. "I was three and you'd probably call me... excitable... I, I don't remember how it happened, but one moment the carving was on its perch in Gabrielle's room. The next moment it was in a million pieces on the floor. I... I'd never seen Mama cry before. I was sure that she was going to whip around and go crazy on me, she should have. I found out later that Xena had carved it, and it was one of the few things that she had left from Xena. Instead, she turned, and engulfed me in a hug." Charna shook her head.

"She still has... had... it."

"Hmmm..."

Xe nodded, "It's all kind of... cobbled back together. She..."

Xe pulled a bag to her side and pawed through it for a moment and came up with once could have been a wooden carving. Now it looked very patched together. She handed it to Charna who held in in both hands as if it were going to break apart in them.

Eve spoke, "Xe, I think I hear a stream, could you get a drink. Give us a moment?"

Xe looked between Eve and Charna. "Okay..."

She left and Eve crossed her arms over her chest. "You can't get emotional now Charna. By your own admission your whole life you've shut off your emotions and now as you get to the end, you can see the finish and you crumble?"

Charna grabbed Eve by the neck and hoisted her against a tree. "I killed my mother, the only person on this plane who gave a care if I lived or died, the only one who loved me."

"Wha..." Eve coughed and Charna let up just a bit. "Would it help if..." Eve coughed again, "If I said I loved you, w-would it help?"

Charna stared at Eve for a long moment, then a smirk came to the dark haired one's face and she let go of Eve. "You're funnier than I remember."

Eve landed on the ground and rubbed at her neck. "Evil or not evil, you do seem to have an anger problem."

Charna raised an eyebrow and held a hand out to Eve. "Have you ever seen Gabrielle in a mood? You think you've got it bad with Callisto and Xena in there, I have Gabrielle and Xena."

Eve grabbed Charna's hand and was hauled up, "Yes, you have a point there. So... where are we going?"

Charna held up the map, "Not too long."

Xe came up behind the two women, "That's good, because I'm sick of all this walking."

Charna smiled, "You get used to it."

* * *

"It's rocks."

Charna handed Eve her entire bag save a leather skirt. Eve frowned, "That was one of Xena's." Charna nodded. "No more pants."

Charna nodded again, "Unfortunately the tall dark one was a warrior who liked her leather skirt. I'll be right back."

She ducked into a stand of trees, leaving Xe and Eve alone. "Do you... do you think she can do it Eve?"

"Do you think Xena would be able to convince the higher powers to let her save herself?" Xe thought for a moment and then nodded. "In almost every way Charna is Xena... and... she has a whole lot of Gabrielle's stubbornness as well. Yes."

"Will, will I cease to be?"

"Who knows. I do know that if you are born again, maybe you'll have a famously artistic older sister named Cyrene."

Xe bit the inside of her mouth, "I think that Charna fits her better, the whole her..."

Eve patted Xe on the shoulder as Charna came out of the trees and tossed Xe her pants. Eve inquired, "What do you need us to do?"

"Stand back, and pray to whichever gods you believe in that this works."

Eve nodded and she and Xe moved back. Charna took the map and laid it out in front of her. She started chanting under her breath. Nothing happened for what seemed like forever and then all of a sudden she seemed to glow from within and she fell backwards with a crash.


	7. Chapter 7

"Who are you. Where am I?"

It was a tall blonde woman who spoke, she had short shaggy hair, and a runner's build. She quirked a blond eyebrow at Charna. "You are where you are supposed to be, and I am your... Who knows what any of us are. My name is Callisto... I think." Charna was silent, assessing Callisto and her surroundings. "But you knew that already. You are as ruthless as your mother, and as wise as your... other mother."

"Tell me what to do Callisto, tell me how to save my mother."

"You know that as well."

Charna crossed her arms over her chest, "Then why am I here? I'm dead..."

Callisto shook her head, "You would give your life that easily?"

Charna let a snort of laughter escape, "Do you think that I wanted to be feared and hated by the populace of Greece by... by my mother. Do you think I wanted to kill the only person who has ever truly loved me. Who loved me even as I plunged my sword into her chest. Do you sincerely think that? I..." Charna looked down at her hands. "I wanted to be an artist, not like my mother, not with words, but with things, I... I'm a wizard with wood, and not too bad when I try to draw. Rather... I was... now..."

"So, why the fighting, why the pain, the hate, crawling into bed with Alaric. He was..."

"Alti's son...I know. It's why I chose him." Callisto blinked and a genuine smile came to Charna's face, "You're surprised that I knew that."

"I am. You really are her daughter."

"How."

Callisto shook her head, "I don't know..."

Charna frowned, "You're..." she waved a hand around, "You're... up here for years, and you just don't know?"

Callisto shook her head again, "Even we don't know everything. My guess... Aphrodite. She always liked Gabrielle." Callisto paused with what could almost be called a wistful look on her face, "Last time, with Eve, it was Michael who helped, but he and the short, annoying, blonde one had a big falling out."

Charna shook her head, "None of this matters, tell me how to take my mother's place. Please."

Callisto bit her bottom lip and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry to do this... wait, who am I kidding, this is payback..." Without warning she slapped Charna on the head.

Charna fell backwards as the world went black.

* * *

_"Your Majesty, your Majesty." Charna blinked, and blinked at what she saw. She was in a cavernous room. The ceiling so high that the gigantic wall hangings came no where near the floor. Light came through enormous windows along the sides of the room and the room seemed to hum with power._

_The man who had spoken two her twice cleared his throat and spoke again, "Your Majesty, Corcus Latien is begging for your forgiveness."_

_Charna tried to make her eyes concentrate on the man speaking, but they just wouldn't. She was sitting down, but she needed to get up, she needed to get her medicine bag. She stood and stumbled down the stairs of the dais. She tried to blink the fog out of her eyes. She glanced up at the wall behind her dais, it was of a ship, the Argo, that meant she was in Iphicles' palace. She stumbled out of the large room towards where she knew the infirmary was. She surprised the Healers in there as she smashed into the cabinet, took a step back and rummaged through it haphazardly. Finally she found what she needed, there was no time for brewing, or water, or tea, she stuffed the leaves in her mouth._

_As she chewed she collapsed on the ground, and a moment later, everything went black again._

* * *

Callisto laughed as Charna sat up. The dark haired general had wound up on the ground, "Wha..."

The blonde shook her head, "You're so damn good that even in a world where you deserve to die, you save yourself. Let's try again..."

"Wai..."

* * *

_"Teacher." Melosa bowed to Charna, but looked up when she didn't respond. "Teacher? Charna?"_

_"What? Where..." Charna put a hand to her head. It was all getting to be too much._

_"We're in the village Teacher. We..." Some of the students in the class snickered and Melosa whirled, "Have you been spoken to? No, then you don't speak. Everyone, leave."_

_One of the taller and older girls in the hut rolled her eyes, "Yeah, like we're going to listen to you."_

_Melosa practically roared, "I'm your Princess. Get OUT."_

_Everyone scurried out of the hut like their butts were on fire. "Don't..."_

_Melosa turned to Charna with a frown, "What? Are you okay Aunt Charna?"_

_Charna sank down to the floor, "Not really. But... never lead with anger. Passion, passion is good, it is... focusing, but anger, anger only hurts you. After the evening meal, apologize to every one of the Amazons who were here."_

_"But... but I'm their Princess, they must do what I say."_

_Charna nodded slowly and closed her eyes, "And so, you must choose what you say, and how you order them very carefully. Have you ever heard of the story of Velasca?..."_

* * *

Charna whipped her head around and faced a groaning Callisto. "Hell woman, where is the chopping, the murder for fun."

"That is not who I am Callisto. You can toss me into as many places as you want, trying to distract me, prove to me that I can be good or whatever you're trying to do... my only goal since I turned four and found out that my mother was Xena was to bring her back to our world. I killed innocents because that was the only way to get in with Alti's son. I killed my mother because the blood from her live body would not have worked on the Map."

Callisto shook her head, "Yeah, gotta admit, the whole, Blood of the True Love can light the way is kinda a stupid caveat." Charna raised an eyebrow, "What, I'm human..."

"No, no, you're dead, and for a good long while you were evil incarnate."

"Why didn't you kill Xena the Junior?"

"What good could come of it? It wouldn't have helped me in any way."

Callisto seemed to look up in the sky and then started to talk to herself, "Ah, fine, fine, fine... she passed. I know... shut up..." Callisto wiggled her fingers, "Bye bye..."

Before Charna could say a word Callisto disappeared and a voice that Charna had only dreamed she would ever hear spoke. "This is not natural. You can't do this Charna."

Charna took a breath and turned. It wasn't quite like looking in a mirror, Charna was slightly taller, her hair was slightly lighter, and she had more scars than her mother. "I can. I go back, be you, those in Japa get their Xena death, and you get to live with Ma... with Gabrielle."

"Do you know why you were named after my mother?"

"You do?" Charna seemed skeptical.

Xena smiled, "I have watched every moment of Gabrielle's life since I died Charna, and when you were born, I have watched over you as well. I know more about you than you do." Charna tilted her head to one side, "Your mother... Gabrielle wanted to name you Xenia, after me, Ly, he went crazy, got his hand broken."

Charna frowned, "How?"

Xena smirked this time, "He thought that force would work with Gabrielle. Thought that she was an easily cowed woman. Before I died... she... she was, had turned into at least my equal. No townsman was going to slap her, especially her husband. He learned how to use words real fast." Charna chuckled at this. As a child she had always wondered why some of her friends' fathers had gotten rough with their wives, but why Gabrielle had never had that trouble.

"In the end, she let him pick your name. He..." Xena shook her head, "He threatened to tell the town that you were not his." Charna frowned, "He named you after his grandmother, thought it would annoy Gabrielle. He had never listened to Toris tell the stories of my and Gabrielle's journeys. He was a townsman since had popped out of his mother. Never wanted to explore his world, never wanted anything more than a wife who cooked, children, and a warm home in the winter."

Charna snorted a laugh, "Instead he got Mama..." Xena tilted her head to one side. "Why are you telling me this?"

Xena shook her head and shrugged, "I never really thought I could be a good mother, I wasn't with Solon, I wasn't really with Eve either. I... watching you, at least I got to see you grow up. I didn't even get that with Eve or Solon."

Charna took a step towards Xena and put a hand out. "I don't want to lose you, but, we all have our own journeys don't we..." Xena closed the distance between them and the two tall dark haired women hugged. It was a long hug, and then in a very anticlimactic way Charna disappeared.

Xena wrapped her arms around her upper body and closed her eyes. "Artemis be with you my daughter."


	8. Chapter 8

Charna wasn't surprised when she appeared in the forest. She took a quick look around her and ducked behind a tree. She tried to become the tree as Xena, in all her Japa outfit's glory stepped next to it. After a half a breath Xena looked up, hearing Charna, and the younger daughter of Amphipolis stepped out from the tree, knocking out Xena from behind.

She hefted Xena's prone form over her shoulder. She didn't have much time. She needed to stash Xena, switch clothes, and die. Her whole life had been so that she could save her mother, both of her mothers. Death didn't scare her, the only thing that scared her was failing. She saw a group of rocks that would be a perfect place to stash Xena and carefully placed her there. She brushed a bit of Xena's hair from her face, closed her eyes, and started to switch the leathers that she wore with the armor that Xena wore. She would finish what Xena had started.

She watched the troops muster as she stood there. They were probably wondering why in the hell she wasn't moving, or for that matter, why she was in a skimpy little outfit. Charna kinda wondered why Xena had picked the outfit as well, but, soon, it wouldn't matter. She hummed to herself and then started singing softly.

_"Hush now my little one_  
_Please don't you cry_  
_Lay your head down_  
_On my shoulder and sigh_  
_suns gone away_  
_mama will pray_  
_silence will keep_  
_all the while you sleep"_

She caught the first arrow, then the second, and then all hell broke loose. She smiled and laughed, for the first time in her entire life, she felt alive. How ironic.

* * *

It was the kiss that had been the hardest part of being Xena. She had loved her mother, but when Gabrielle started to put a little more than water in her mouth, it was all Charna could do not to gag. The fighting had been the most fun. Especially going against Yodoshi. That had been harder than she thought it would be. It had stretched her to her limits, but, she had won.

She had done it, and now watched from her otherworldly vantage point. She knew she wouldn't be conscious of everything for much longer. But she wanted to hold on long enough to see... that. A smile came to Charna's face as a very confused Xena appeared behind Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle whirled so fast that she nearly fell over the edge of the cliff. The blond with the intricate dragon tattoo on her back looked down at the jar in her hand and then back up at the dark haired woman in Xena's original warrior princess leathers. "Who are you?"

Xena looked perturbed as she walked towards Gabrielle. "I'm Xena... wha... what happened?" She put a hand to the back of her head, "I was getting ready to... to... and someone knocked me out. And..." she shook her head. Gabrielle had gone snow white, "Gabby, you look as if you've seen a ghost."

"I... you were beheaded, I.. and then..." Gabrielle shook her head. Xena barely made it to the battling bard's side before Gabrielle collapsed.

"I wasn't, I don't know who it was, but it wasn't me lo..."

She didn't get to finish as Gabrielle took possession of her mouth and didn't let go until both women needed air. When they did separate, Gabrielle collapsed on her back and started laughing, and laughing, and laughing.

Xena stared at her former sidekick with a bit of concern. "Gabrielle?"

Gabrielle took three or four breaths and then pulled Xena down on top of her. "I love you Xena. I thought I had lost you... again. I want to go home and take the vacation that ate Corinth."

Xena threaded her hands behind her head and stared up at the sky, "Oh, and what would we do on this vacation?"

"Nothing, absolutely nothing. No more atoning for a while, no saving the world, or endangering the world. Just the two of us and a warm, warm bath or ten."

Xena smiled, "Sounds okay to me."

Both women were silent. After a few minutes Gabrielle's eyes flew open, "If you're really you, then who in all of Hades did I kiss."

It was Xena's turn to laugh and laugh, her laughs echoing through the mountain and surrounding sky.

In the other world Charna still smiled as she felt a presence behind her. She didn't turn as the presence spoke in a low, relaxing male voice. "You are not Xena."

"I get that a lot."

This gave the voice pause, "You gave up your life for Xena, even though you were never sure if you were the dark one's daughter or not."

Charna shrugged as Xena and Gabrielle stood and started away from the edge of the mountain. "It wasn't much of a life."

There was a longer pause before the voice spoke, "None the less, you will do."

Charna smiled still as she turned, "You'd be surprised how often I get that too Eli. So..." She followed Eli towards... something she had no words for. "Can I choose my own hair now, I'm so sick of it long."

"There is time for everything Cyrene..."

Charna groaned, "In that case, my first request, call me Charna... I've never liked my given name, no matter how cool the original Cyrene was."


	9. Epilogue

The crying wouldn't stop, it just wouldn't stop. "Aghh..."

A laugh came from next to the annoyed dark haired woman. "Do you want me to get her?"

"It wouldn't do any good, she... she wants me. Why Gabs, I just... I'm a used up, washed up, sore old former warlord."

Gabrielle of Potedia rolled so that she faced Xena of Amphipolis, "Because you're her mother Xena and she loves the mother that gives her rides, tummy bubbles, and sings to her."

Xena rolled out of bed. "I think I'd rather face Darfus' army."

Gabrielle laughed softly as Xena walked into the next room to retrieve the screaming infant. Gabrielle focused on the ceiling of their newly built house. She and Xena had done it together, with the help from an unexpected source, Toris' oldest son Ly had appeared one day and helped with the building.

Their daughter had calmed down the second that she saw her tall mama. Gabrielle waited for the groan of the rocking chair and then closed her eyes as Xena started to sing little Charna's favorite lullaby, the only one that would get her to sleep and have her stay asleep.

_"Hush now my little one_  
_Please don't you cry_  
_Lay your head down_  
_On my shoulder and sigh_  
_suns gone away_  
_mama will pray_  
_that silence will keep_  
_all the while you sleep"_

* * *

Fin ~ October 13th, 2007


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